Method of hydraulic transit



(No Model.)

J. E. ROBINSON.

METHOD 0F HYDRAULIC TRANSIT.

No. 898,585. Patented Nov. Z7, 1888.

.sills N. PETERS, Phawmhngnpmr wash ngmn D C IINTTED STATES PATENT OrricE.

JOHN E. ROBINSON, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

METHOD OF HYDRAULIC TRANSIT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 393,585, dated November v27, 1888.

Applicaticniilcd DecembcrIlO. 1587. Serial No. 259,434.

To @ZZ whom, t may concern.-

Beit known that I, JOHN E. ROBINSON, of Philadelphia, in the State of Pennsylvania,4 have invented certain new and useful Iinprovements in Transporting Milk or other Matters, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and tothe letters of reference marked thereon.

My invention consists in a method of moving said article or mattei' when contained in suitable receptacles through a conduit or pipe leading from the point of loading to the point of discharge, the said receptacles floating in water passed through the conduit or pipe.

I show herein an apparatus which may be successfully used in putting my improved method into eiit'ect.

In carrying out my invention I cause the specitic gravity of the receptacle containing the article to be transported to be made, with its contents as nearly equal to that of the waA ter or conveying medium as is practicable, in order that the said receptacle and its contents shall travel within the pipe or conduit with the water practically out of contact with the pipe, and consequently to an almost entire extent without friction, as hereinafter specitied. The pipe or conduit at stated points in its length is provided with loading and discharge stations, at which the matter to be transported is inserted, in order to be carried by the main pipe or conduit or discharged at the propel' points. At each of the said loading and discharge stations the main pipe is broken or 1nterrupted and provided with movable sections connected thereto by flexible joints, and at each station are two independent lengths of pipe, to or from which the movable sections connected with the main conduit can be attached or detached by suitable lever and link mechanism, or other devices, as may be preferred.

Other features of the apparatus will be pointed out in the description, as follows: V

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a sectional plan showing my invention. Fig. 2 is an enlarged section showing the receptacle and carrier in a section of the pipe. Fig. 3 is a detail, hereinafter specified.

Similar letters of reference' indicate similar parts in the respective figures.

(No mo'del.)

A represents a main pipe or conduit, which extends from a distant point of receiving to the point of discharge. Preferably this pipe or conduit would lie contiguous to a railroad track and might be under the control and management ofthe railroad company, or otherwise.

At intervals in the length of the main pipe or conduit A several loading and discharge stations are provided, one of which is shown in Fig. l. At each of said stations the main pipe A is provided with movable sections B B, connected thereto by ilexible joints c, allowing the sections B B' to be moved on said joint, as indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. l. Two independent lengths of pipe, A A2, are arranged contiguous to each other and between the movable sections B B', the arrangement being such that the said sections B B can be made to connect with either pipe A A2, as may be desired. Then the movable sections B B are connected with either of the pipes A or A2, said pipe becomes a part of the main pipe or conduit A.

It will be seen that the pipes A A2 are provided at each end with acurved face, b, a front View of which is shown in Fig. 3. To each movable section B B' is connected a link, c, which is attached to a lever, d, moving on a shaft, e, by which arrangement the said pipes B B can be moved from the pipe A to the pipe A2, or vice versa, as may be readily understood. The movable sections B B may, however, be made to be independently operated.

The receptacle and carrier used for transportation consists of a cylindrical can, C, having an opening, f, covered by a lid, f, said lid being preferably screwed to the can C. The can may be provided with a handle, f2. At each end of the can O isa hollow metallic ball, D, having sufficient interior cnbical capacity to give it theA necessary buoyancy or flotation. The intention is to use balls D, of sniiicient buoyancy to give to the whole, including the receptacle C and its contents, the specic gravity of the water which is the conveying medium. The balls D are connected by light steel frames or straps g, which also serve to surround and inclose the can C, thus holding the whole together. The frames or straps g are at two points in their length given an IOO outward bend, as shown as g, so as to cause them to loosely or neatly lit Within the pipes, whereby the carrier is accurately guided within the said pipes. The object, however, is to cause the'carrier to be moved along with the water without any appreciable contact with the pipe, whereby the friction is reduced to the minimum.

The water is supplied to the pipes by forcepumps or any other well-known means arranged at the extreme shipping end of the line. A natural head of water might be used, however, if practicable. Y

The operation is Yas follow: Supposing the water to be constantly running in the direction of the arrows and the several parts to be as shown in Fig. l, and it is desired to load or ship several cans at the station shown, the cans O arerst connected with the balls D and frames g, and placed Within the pipe A2,' the ends of which are submerged within boxes E,contain ing water. The several cans having been placed within the pipe A2, the movable Vsections B B are by means of the levers d moved to the position shown in dotted lines, whereupon the pipe A2 becomes a part of the main line A and the cans are constantly carried onward by the stream. The pipe A now being detached from the main line may be used for the loading-pipe.

At a convenient distance from each station a bell, h, is applied to the main pipe A, which bell will be operated upon by the passing carriers. The object of the bell is to notify those in charge that a carrier is approaching from some other station, and thus enable the attendants to prevent the can being caught between the moving and the stationary sections.

A bellor bells may be arranged at or near the terminal to indicate the number of arriving cans.

Only one station is shown in the drawings;

but it will be understood that as many are used as may be necessary. The terminal or delivery end of the pipe A will preferably extend to a railroad or other station within the city to be supplied with the article transported; and by continuing the conduit and its stations milk or other articles may be distributed to various parts of the city. At the terminal end the pipe A extends into a reservoir into which the cans would be discharged, and in which they would float, whence they would be removed by suitable means.

Itis apparent that each station represented in Fig. l may be also used as a discharge-sta` tion by removing the movable section B from the main line, whereupon the carrier would be discharged from the main line to the box E, at which said section is located.

The water may be used along the line or at a terminal for any purpose, or may be discharged into the ordinary sewers.

In transporting mail matter, berries, or other articles of light specific gravity it will not be necessary to use Heats with the carriers, but they will be weighted instead to bring them with their contents to substantially the same specic gravity as that of the water.

Having described my invention, I claim- The method hereinbefore described of transporting milk or other matters, which consists in floating it in buoyant carriers, which with their contents are of substantially the same specic gravity as water, through pipes by an artificial current ofwater which Hows throughout the entire line of pipe, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal.

JOHN E. ROBINSON. [L s] Witnesses:

PHILIP MAURO, EDWIN GRUsE. 

